Wrestling with or Embracing Digitization in the Music Industry: The Contrasting Business Strategies of J-pop and K-pop

Digitization has significantly changed the process for producing and consuming music: from analogue to digital, albums to songs, possess to access, audio to visual, and end products to promotional products. In this globalized digital era, actively embracing digitization would likely help enhance the competitiveness of the music industry. The rise of K-pop and the decline of J-pop clearly demonstrate the different results from whether to embrace or wrestle with digitization. The Korean music industry recognized changes brought on by digitization earlier and was more active in responding with effective strategies. By contrast, the Japanese music industry did not immediately respond to these changes but stuck to its rent-seeking behavior in order to take advantage of its larger market size and “sophisticated” copyright regime. The implications from this paper is that business activities are the core element for creating and enhancing competitiveness of the music industries

Alterations of circulating endothelial cell and endothelial progenitor cell counts around the ovulation.

Context:Circulating endothelial cells (CECs) and progenitor cells (CEPs) have been intensively studied as a promising tool for treating ischemic diseases and monitoring cancer treatments, but how the menstrual cycle affects the variation in their counts remains unclear. Objective:The aims of the study were to determine the influence of the menstrual cycle on the number of CECs and CEPs and to investigate the association of their counts with circulating hormones and angiogenesis-associated factors. Design:CEP and CEC counts by flow cytometry and the CellSearch system and circulating factor levels were measured eight times during the menstrual cycle in 18 volunteers. The menstrual cycle was divided into six phases based on hormone concentrations. Results:CEP counts peaked in the periovulatory and middle luteal phases with a drop in the early luteal phase. CEC counts showed no significant variation. There were significant correlations between the CEP counts and the serum concentrations of estradiol (E2), LH, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, and P = 0.01, respectively). The difference in CEP counts between two adjacent phases was significantly correlated with that in E2, LH, G-CSF, and serum vascular endothelial growth factor (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, P = 0.02, and P = 0.006, respectively). Conclusion:CEP counts peaked in the periovulatory and middle luteal phases, with a drop in the early luteal phase, and were correlated with serum E2, LH, and G-CSF concentrations. Consideration of the variation in CEP counts would be important for the clinical application of CEPs

Genetic and clinical landscape of breast cancers with germline BRCA1/2 variants

遺伝性乳癌の遺伝学的・臨床学的特徴を解明 --BRCA1/2 変異乳癌は両アレルの不活化の有無により異なった特徴を持つ--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2020-10-26.The genetic and clinical characteristics of breast tumors with germline variants, including their association with biallelic inactivation through loss-of-heterozygosity (LOH) and second somatic mutations, remain elusive. We analyzed germline variants of 11 breast cancer susceptibility genes for 1, 995 Japanese breast cancer patients, and identified 101 (5.1%) pathogenic variants, including 62 BRCA2 and 15 BRCA1 mutations. Genetic analysis of 64 BRCA1/2-mutated tumors including TCGA dataset tumors, revealed an association of biallelic inactivation with more extensive deletions, copy neutral LOH, gain with LOH and younger onset. Strikingly, TP53 and RB1 mutations were frequently observed in BRCA1- (94%) and BRCA2- (9.7%) mutated tumors with biallelic inactivation. Inactivation of TP53 and RB1 together with BRCA1 and BRCA2, respectively, involved LOH of chromosomes 17 and 13. Notably, BRCA1/2 tumors without biallelic inactivation were indistinguishable from those without germline variants. Our study highlights the heterogeneity and unique clonal selection pattern in breast cancers with germline variants

Optimization of prediction methods for risk assessment of pathogenic germline variants in the Japanese population

Predicting pathogenic germline variants (PGVs) in breast cancer patients is important for selecting optimal therapeutics and implementing risk reduction strategies. However, PGV risk factors and the performance of prediction methods in the Japanese population remain unclear. We investigated clinicopathological risk factors using the Tyrer-Cuzick (TC) breast cancer risk evaluation tool to predict BRCA PGVs in unselected Japanese breast cancer patients (n = 1, 995). Eleven breast cancer susceptibility genes were analyzed using target-capture sequencing in a previous study; the PGV prevalence in BRCA1, BRCA2, and PALB2 was 0.75%, 3.1%, and 0.45%, respectively. Significant associations were found between the presence of BRCA PGVs and early disease onset, number of familial cancer cases (up to third-degree relatives), triple-negative breast cancer patients under the age of 60, and ovarian cancer history (all P < .0001). In total, 816 patients (40.9%) satisfied the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines for recommending multigene testing. The sensitivity and specificity of the NCCN criteria for discriminating PGV carriers from noncarriers were 71.3% and 60.7%, respectively. The TC model showed good discrimination for predicting BRCA PGVs (area under the curve, 0.75; 95% confidence interval, 0.69-0.81). Furthermore, use of the TC model with an optimized cutoff of TC score ≥0.16% in addition to the NCCN guidelines improved the predictive efficiency for high-risk groups (sensitivity, 77.2%; specificity, 54.8%; about 11 genes). Given the influence of ethnic differences on prediction, we consider that further studies are warranted to elucidate the role of environmental and genetic factors for realizing precise prediction

Museum mangagement in a time of change : impacts of cultural policy on museums in Britain, 1979-1997

This paper examines some of the major impacts of British cultural policy in the 1980s and 1990s, with particular reference to museum management. The paper identifies three major themes of cultural policy at national and local level during the period as the needs for (1) plural funding, (2) customer orientation and (3) management for efficiency and effectiveness, and examines their impacts on local authority museums. The paper consists of three major parts and a concluding part as follows: • the themes of government policy in culture reiterated through the decades, and environmental changes surrounding the museum sector in the UK (Part 1) • a case study of museums owned and run by local authorities, which provides empirical findings on the subject. Three specific areas—income generation, public service orientation and strategic management—receive attention (Part 2) • the theoretical analysis of issues in museum management (Part 3). This report aims to contribute to the following research themes. Primary readership may be different for each: • the context and issues in which the UK museum sector has been operating in the last few decades, as an introduction to the subject for those who are not yet familiar with it, and also for those who wish to reflect systematically on the changes they have known by experience (Part 1) • a case study of management changes in the local authority museum sector, which may be of interest to those working in the sector, or to cultural policy makers who have a stake in museums (Part 2) • a theorisation of museum management, aimed at museum managers and researchers, and cultural policy makers and researchers, both in the UK and beyond (Part 3) • a study of museum marketing, its development, state of the art, issues and problems, for those particularly interested in marketing (Chapters 5, 7 and 9) • a proposal of research topics in visitor studies for practical use (Chapter 9) • a study of public service management, for those who wish to compare the experience of culture to other areas of public policy (Chapters 4, 6, 7 and 11)

The emerging voluntary sector in Japan: issues and prospects

This paper provides an overview of the Japanese third sector with a particular focus on organisational issues. It begins with background information on the third sector in Japan and offers reasons why the sector has remained relatively underdeveloped. It then discusses recent changes in Japan which have contributed to the development of the sector. The second part of the paper explores management and organisational issues for Japanese voluntary organisations at two levels. Management issues are analysed at the sectoral level, drawing on two quantitative surveys on the sector carried out recently. Secondly, attention will be shifted from sectoral to organisational problems drawing on the findings of the author’s exploratory small-scale research project on several large Japanese NGOs. In conclusion, a number of future implications and policy issues are addressed

Beyond the division of attenders vs. non-attenders : a study into audience development in policy and practice

Audience development has been one of the most discussed topics in the UK cultural sector in recent years. With resources specifically for audience development increasingly available, arts and cultural organisations have started various projects and schemes to increase the number of attenders, broaden their base or enrich their experiences. The term of audience development however has been used in various ways, and this paper identifies four distinctive meanings: Cultural Inclusion, Extended Marketing, Taste Cultivation and Audience Education. Across the definitions, there are some assumptions which need examination. The paper argues that the policy of audience development has been based on the Liberal Humanistic idea of Culture for all. This has been contrasted to the sociological theories on the relationship between culture and society. Culture is in fact a powerful tool for marking divisions between groups of people, and often functions even if unconsciously to institutionalise social inequality. Inequality in cultural participation and differences in taste come from the possession of ‘cultural competence’ acquired through family socialisation and formal schooling. Whereas the policy of audience development believes in Culture for all and has the product-led approach, good practice accepts the sociological view and recommends the target-led approach. Part 2 of this paper is a case study into a particular audience development project in contemporary music conducted in a relatively homogeneous rural area. The paper sees it as a Taste Cultivation project, as it has attracted music lovers who are relatively well-educated and well-accustomed to classical music on which the kind of contemporary music the project introduced is based. It reveals however a variety of views and responses the audiences had to the concert they attended and the music they listened to, which suggests the complexity involved in audience development. The policy implications drawn from Parts 1 and 2 are twofold. One is that audience development as an issue in cultural policy will require sustained efforts and resources for a long term to a much larger scale than is apparently assumed by government at the moment. The other is that it is necessary for audience research of various kinds to be developed on a continuous and regular basis to inform both government policy and cultural management practice. Specifically two broad topics of research are suggested. One topic is the dynamics of audience creation and progression. The other is to examine various aspects of the relationship between people and the arts, eg whether passion for or interest in music leads to efforts made to acquire musical knowledge and in what way concert attendance and participation in music making may affect each other

The making of a programme diary : a study into the programming of arts presentation at arts centres in Britain

This paper examines the framework, processes and mechanisms of arts centre programming defined as the presentation of professional arts and cultural activities. Whilst acknowledging the diverse roles played by arts centres particularly in their local communities, the paper is focused on the function of professional presentation. The findings and analysis are based on qualitative research, consisting of both personal interviews conducted at nine arts centres in Britain and a review of the literature. The paper starts with the outline of the context in which professional presentation at arts centres works. It then proceeds to describe empirical findings and evolves into analytical and theoretical arguments. The unit of analysis is firstly arts centres in relation to arts companies and artists, and then the work of arts centre programmers. Finally the scope of discussion is widened in Part 3 to examine arts centres as a whole in the larger cultural production system. The paper consists of three major parts. Each part is of a different nature and may serve a different primary readership as follows: - Part 1 seeks to give a basic understanding of the ways in which the presentation of professional arts is programmed at arts centres in the UK. Particular attention is paid to the relationship between arts centres and visiting performing arts companies. This part is largely descriptive and explanatory and meant to form a foundation for the later discussion. Those who are not very familiar with the work of arts centres in Britain may find the details useful. Experienced practitioners working in arts centres may wish to skim through this part by reading summaries attached at the end of each chapter and go directly to Parts 2 and 3. - Part 2 analyses the making of programme diaries by examining the behaviour and discourse of venue programmers. This part is explanatory and analytical. It may well be helpful for artists and administrators of arts companies in particular, as it offers an insight into programme making. - Part 3 draws on the findings presented in Parts 1 and 2 and develops a theoretical and conceptual discussion. Its focus is on arts centres as a whole and examines the arts centre ‘sector’ in a wider context. This part may be useful for policy-makers in the arts funding system and practitioners in arts centres, as well as cultural policy academics and students. The paper aims to contribute to the two following research fields in different but interconnected ways: - to the study of cultural policy by providing insights into how arts centres construct their programme diaries and by analysing their place in the large cultural production system - to the sociology of culture by highlighting the distributive aspect of the arts and culture, a phase of cultural production relatively under-researched in the literature compared with the phases of creation and consumption

Planning for equality? : decentralisation in cultural policy

This paper examines the theoretical and practical issues related to ‘decentralisation’ in cultural policy, with a particular focus on the British experience. It consists of three major parts, in which each of the following is developed: • a conceptual framework for the discussion of ‘decentralisation’ in the context of cultural policy (Part 1); • the examination of decentralisation in British cultural policy (Part 2); • the analysis of the problems which decentralisation in British cultural policy has experienced (Part 3); This report aims to provide different readerships with: • concepts and theories on decentralisation which are applicable to cultural policy of many nations as well as of Britain, to be used for discussion by officers in cultural policy making and decision-makers in cultural institutions, and also by researchers and students of cultural policy (Part 1 & 3); • a comprehensive documentation of the practical problems and institutional issues in decentralisation policy implementation which British cultural policy has been experiencing, which may be of particular relevance to practitioners in Britain (Part 2); • some of the problems in cultural policy with wider implications for public policy and administration in Britain, which may be of interest for researchers in politics and public administration (Part 3)